"Slow progression is the key to long term success." My first fitness guru, Tamilee Webb, said this in one of her famous Buns of Steel fitness videos. I'll never forget it and it is so true. We need to progress through our exercises from easy to challenging while constantly focusing on proper exercise technique. We need to progress through exercises that work on proprioception, your body's awareness in space; that create stability and strength in the shoulder girdle, pelvis, and the "corset" or core muscles, and strengthen the main muscles groups: back, chest, shoulders, and legs.

If you want to succeed, you must know what your goals are, and you need to communicate them clearly to your trainer. Be specific. Gaining knowledge of what you want to accomplish helps to keep you motivated and keeps your workouts effective. Ask questions. Learn the major muscle groups and their functions.  

Don't neglect your cardiovascular or cardiopulmonary health. Do your cardio. You don't have to start training for a marathon, unless you want to, but I recommend doing cardio five times a week for a minimum of thirty minutes.

Nutrition. My basic guidelines for healthy eating are to cook at home, take your home cooked food with you, limit eating out; and eat primarily lean meats, vegetables, and fruits. Whole foods. Nutritious foods. Nutrients do not come in a bag, box, or a can. Think before you eat.

Perhaps, the most important thing to remember is patience. You are changing habits. Habits can be external, like mindlessly eating a bag of potato chips, or they can be internal, like how we think or feel about ourselves after we eat an entire bag of potato chips. We aren't just changing the way your body looks, we are, also, changing the way your mind works. The three elements that will help you create new habits are mindfulness, awareness, and kindness. Start being kind to yourself today.